There’s plenty to see and do in and around Calne this week, with craft markets, live music, classic cars, village fetes, heritage events, exhibitions and activities for all ages. From The Dumb Post Revival at Bremhill and the Heddington Scarecrow Trail to a special 40th anniversary celebration at Avebury, there are plenty of ways to get out and about this weekend.
Circus Ginnett – Friday 11th to Tuesday 15th September
Circus Ginnett will make its first visit to Chippenham this week, bringing a big-top show featuring international performers from around the world. The circus will also have a special local connection, with Luke the Clown returning to the town where he grew up and attended school before joining his family’s circus. Performances run from Friday, 11th to Tuesday, 15th September, with tickets from £8. Blue Light Card holders can attend for free with a phone reservation.
Love Calne Craft & Gift Market – Saturday 12th September
The monthly Love Calne Craft & Gift Market returns to Phelps Parade and Market Square on Saturday, 12th September, from 8.30am. Visitors able to browse a range of handmade crafts, gifts and other products from local makers and traders. The market is open to everyone and provides an opportunity to support local independent businesses while enjoying the atmosphere in the town centre.
Coffee and Craft Fair – Saturday 12th September
Calne Methodist Church in Silver Street will host a Coffee and Craft Fair on Saturday, 12th September, from 11am to 2pm. Visitors can browse craft stalls while enjoying homemade cakes, refreshments and light lunches, with fairly traded tea and coffee also available.
The Dumb Post Revival – Saturday 12th September
The Dumb Post Inn at Bremhill will host The Dumb Post Revival on Saturday, 12th September, from 11.30am to 4pm, with a day of classic cars, live music and family entertainment. The event will feature a Pit Lane classic car display, a 1960s and 1970s dress theme, performances from Splat The Rat and The Dumb Post UKEs, as well as a best car and best dressed driver competition. There will also be a BBQ, with donations welcomed and all proceeds going to the British Heart Foundation.
Free Guided Chippenham Town Walk – Saturday 12th September
A free guided town walk will take place in Chippenham on Saturday, 12th September, starting from the Buttercross at 2pm. The walk lasts around 40 minutes and offers an introduction to the history of the town. Booking is required.
Pewsham Locks Open Day – Saturday 12th September
Pewsham Locks will open to visitors on Saturday, 12th September, with boat trips, site tours and other activities organised by the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. Boat trips on the canal will run from 12.30pm, while tours of the trust’s work and meadow management will take place at 11am and 2.30pm. There will also be worksite tours from 10am and a pop-up café serving tea, coffee, soft drinks and cakes. Boat trips and tours are subject to availability.
Heddington Scarecrow Trail & Village Fete – Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September
Heddington and Cherhill Preschool will host its Scarecrow Trail and Village Fete on Saturday, 12th and Sunday, 13th September, from 10am to 4pm. The event will feature a scarecrow trail, with visitors invited to vote for their favourite, alongside refreshments, face painting, fairground games, a raffle, stalls, a BBQ and bar. There will also be appearances from Chuffy the Land Train, Hartbeeps and The Bug Man. Trail guides cost £3.
Celebrate Avebury – Saturday 12th September
The Avebury Society will celebrate 40 years of Avebury's World Heritage Site status on Saturday, 12th September, with a day of events at the Clubhouse on Beckhampton Road. The programme includes an archaeological talk at 11.30am, a bring-your-own picnic lunch at 1pm and an afternoon of music, stories and dance from 3pm to 7.30pm. An exhibition of art, sculpture and photography celebrating Avebury's ancient landscape will also be open from 10am to 4.30pm. Entry to the exhibition and afternoon event is free, although registration is required for the lunch and the archaeological talk is nearly booked.
Between Stone and Sky – Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September
The Avebury Society's Between Stone and Sky exhibition will bring together artworks inspired by Avebury's ancient landscape from Friday, 11th to Sunday, 13th September. The exhibition features art, sculpture and photography and will be held at the Clubhouse on Beckhampton Road, with free entry from 10am to 4.30pm. A further exhibition at the venue's Unhenged Café continues until 28th September.
Summer Sunday Open Day at Sevington Victorian School – Sunday 13th September
Sevington Victorian School will open its doors on Sunday, 13th September, from 2pm to 5pm as part of its Heritage Weekend. Visitors can explore the preserved Victorian schoolroom, schoolmistress's house and gardens, with children's activities, homemade teas and demonstrations of lace making and penny-farthing riding. The school is located in Sevington, around four miles from Junction 17 of the M4, and admission is free for this special open day.
